The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-01-20

Extravagant Pensions.

Extravagant Pensions.
There seems to be among our Con-
gressmen violent desire to prove untrue
the old charge that republics are ever
ungrateful." 1t is quoted to them and
fred at them out Of newspapers 20 often
that the origin Of the indictment. the
identity Of the defendant. and the his
tory Of the case, have all been forgotten,
and the whole 10 made q precedent 70
cover q multitude of evil. 1t 10 enough
for both people and Congress to know
that the accusation can not Be made OF
W with truth, that il was not originally
applied to q Rovernment such - ours,
but to an aristocracy which deserved the
imputation, and that we have already
proved the indictment a. brought to be
utterly groundless. This would b
enough to plead in defense were 1t not
that the case is continually returned TO
court, and that public sentiment should
be aroused against the practice Of At
tempting to rsfute charge never made,
by the indulgence Of excessive extrava-
gance in particular cases.
The money in the public treasury 10
drawn from the hard earnings Of those
who labor, and these workers have done
well il they save q bare compesence Tor
old age. To these the pensions granted
daily to the widows OF deceased
public men would be fortunes to the
possession Of which they have never
dared raise their hopes. The widow OF
Gen. Grant was born among these toiless,
and spent much Of her life in circum-
stances 20 straitened that she was At
times unable to command the simplest
luxuries. II the recognition given the
services of her husband taught her 70
regard extravagant expenditure - . ne
cessity, then she showed little strength OF
mind, and her sons lea, when they found
it easier to accept charity than to resume
the old habits and industrious pursuits
which gave the founder Of their great
ness the ability TO render service to the
State. II it Justice 20 draw from the
toilins millions the pension which makes
still richer the widow who can build .
monument costing five hundred thou
sand dollars? Is it right to draw from
the struggling youth of our country the
money to support the golden idleness OF
ity with their brothers is denied by the
acceptance Of the charity which should
be refused to q strong hand and heart
worthy Of its pareutage.
Davy Crockett declared to his brother
Congressman that they ''should not be
generous with the public n,oney-that
they had no right to be charitable at the
expense Of Others" 1t il undoubtedly
true that money raised for the legitimate
expenses of government, cannot b law
fully diverted to the payment OF ex-
travagant pensions unwarranted BY the
actual necessities Of the recipient. Many
widows Of deceased soldiers arc taxed
to pay for the luxurious foalies Of the
Grant boys and tho "dignified state'
of their mother. This ID wrong both in
law and equity. Yet even here the
evil does not stop, for the bills intro.
duced for other pensions show that this
is only q precedent which will b used
to our detriment in all future time.
The people gave to Grant every reward
for his services authorized By our law;
he drew the highest pay and ''supped
his fill Of honor" To Logan they gave
every reward but the highest. and he
claimed that persistently and was push
ing his claim and pleading his worth
when he died. Il not his widow richer
than the majority Of those whose char
ity is asked TO swell her incomer Shall
we finally have . class Of favorites like
that in England while the laboeers toll
and suffer? Where shall this thing
stop' Herein lies our least justification
under the reproaches Of the Socialists.
Needed charity can come with bless-
ing to the recipient and . richer one to
the giver; it is injustice palpable and
gross to tax the poor that the boards Of
the rich may be increased. II il 10 tue
that the best service OF each citizen 10
due to the State, there il no need TO set
q monetary value on patriotism. Let
the payment Of pensions to those who
receive checks for hundreds Of thou.
sands be stopped.
A Coutrsst.
Who has not seen the private cara Of